Lane Cove National Park
Lane Cove National Park New South Wales | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Nearest town or city | Lane Cove |
Established | 1938[1] |
Area | 6.7 km2 (2.6 sq mi)[1] |
Managing authorities | NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service |
Website | Lane Cove National Park |
See also | Protected areas of New South Wales |
The Lane Cove National Park is a
Features and location
The park includes areas of land which are part of
The central section of the park, between De Burghs Bridge on Ryde Road and Fullers Bridge, was set aside as a park in the 1920s and developed with picnic areas interspersed in the bush along the banks of the river. The majority of these picnic areas are located between the Fuller's Road bridge and the road that leads towards the Tourist Park. North of this point the area becomes more rugged and there are no picnic areas until the Tunks Hill (previously known as Tunks Farm) area which is away from the river behind the garden nursery on Lane Cove Road.
A weir was constructed in the 1930s[1] near Fullers Bridge which converted the middle section of the river from tidal salt-water to a fresh-water area with constant water level suitable for recreational use in rowing boats and canoes. This area was managed by a trust and was called Lane Cove River Park. In 1982, the Government of New South Wales took over direct control of the park which was then called Lane Cove Regional Park. Various nearby areas of undeveloped government land near the river upstream and downstream from the central area including an area around Pennant Hills Park has also been added to the national park. It was then renamed Lane Cove National Park in 1992.[1] See history for further information.
A fish ladder has been constructed next to the weir to enable Australian bass to access the freshwater breeding grounds upstream of the weir. Fishing is allowed in parts of the Lane Cove River as per restrictions managed by Department of Primary Industries.[2]
The Lane Cove National Park is popular with walkers, joggers and cyclists. The Lane Cove River Tourist Park, operated by the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, is located within Lane Cove National Park.
Friends Of Lane Cove National ParkV was formed after the 1994 bushfires and runs volunteer bushcare groups through the park areas. The group also sources grants for bushland regeneration works.
The main walking track along the Lane Cove River forms part of the Great North Walk from Sydney CBD to Newcastle. This track incorporates a number of old tracks that were, in many cases, old logging trails.
Flora
Common native plant species throughout the park include grass-trees, smooth-barked apples, old man banksias, flannel flowers, scribbly gums, and Wonga Wonga vines.[3] See Friends of Lane Cove National Park list of what's flowering in the park.
Fauna
The park is home to a variety of native bird species, including brushturkeys, kookaburras, superb fairywrens, crimson rosellas, sulphur-crested cockatoos, rainbow lorikeets, and eastern whipbirds.[3] Non-native birds such as common mynas and red-whiskered bulbuls also occupy the park. Common reptiles include the Eastern Water Dragon and lace monitors, whilst common mammals include swamp wallabies and echidnas.[3] See Friends of Lane Cove National Park list of fauna observed in the park.
Urban issues affecting the Park
The park's position in the middle of a major metropolis necessitates compromises between the social desire for maintaining a pristine environment, and the need for urban development. Two examples of this compromise are:
- The M2 Hills Motorway crosses the National Park at Epping and is clearly visible for kilometres to bushwalkers traveling along Terry's Creek.
- In 2014 Sydney Water began rebuilding a 3.3 kilometre section of wastewater pipe located beside Terrys Creek, and running through bushland between Forrester Park, Eastwood and Browns Waterhole in the Lane Cove National Park, South Turramurra. This involved upgrading access tracks to the pipeline.
See also
- Commandment Rock
- Devlins Creek
- Protected areas of New South Wales
- Friends of Lane Cove National Park
References
- ^ )
- ^ Sydney Harbour and Northern beaches recreational fishing guide Archived 28 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c "Lane Cove National Park | Learn more". NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 9 November 2019.